[Photo: Steve Jones LRPS]<\/p>\n
Steve Jones, a specialist horse photographer from Luton, Bedfordshire, beat 3,300 entrants to take top spot in the RPS\u2019s Members’ Biennial Exhibition, with an image entitled ‘Joie de Vivre’, captured in France.<\/p>\n
Steve said: \u2018I wanted to photograph this horse to encapsulate all the passion of these magnificent animals in one image and my chance came when it bucked with joy in the shaft of sunlight, hence my title of “Joie de Vivre” \u2013 the joy of life.\u2019<\/p>\n
Steve started his career as a wedding photographer before launching a pet photographic business in 2011.<\/p>\n
The following year, a love of horses led Steve to set up an equine photography business.<\/p>\n
Steve recently took part in a horse photography workshop that, he says, rekindled his passion for photography.<\/p>\n
\u2018Horses give me so much back and it was not until I started to work with them that I realised how much they can enrich our lives and regenerate that excitement when photographing them,\u2019 Steve says on his website.<\/p>\n
Speaking after his win, Steve added: \u2018The Gold Award from the Royal Photographic Society\u2019s Members’ Biennial Exhibition is a real honour and one that I never dreamed would be awarded to an image of mine.<\/p>\n
\u2018It will always rank as one of my proudest photographic achievements.\u2019<\/p>\n
Steve\u2019s winning image was captured at a stud farm in the Mid-Pyrenees in September 2014.<\/p>\n
The RPS\u2019s Members’ Biennial Exhibition runs at the Grant Bradley Gallery in Bristol until 31 January, before touring the UK.<\/p>\n
Upcoming venues include the Harlequin Gallery in Watford, and the Artcell Gallery in Cambridge.<\/p>\n